The Origins Of Charms

Most people would be hard pressed to think of a more versatile piece of jewelry than charms. These delicate yet often very elaborate miniature pieces can be used on charm bracelets, added to hoop earrings or even attached to necklaces as pendants. Silver charms and gold charms alike are popular either as unique additions to a bracelet or chain or as part of a collection of charms.

Mixing and matching different types of charms with each other on bracelets is one of the fun aspects of charm bracelets. There are no hard and fast rules about what you can or cannot do with your charm collections and silver and gold charms can easily be used on the same bracelet or kept completely separate. Adding both types of metal charms to your bracelet means it can easily be matched with anything you may decide to wear.

Early Egyptian rulers were some of the first people to routinely wear charms. These were used to keep away evil spirits and bad omens and to bring luck and prosperity. The early civilizations believed in the power of the charms so much they were buried with the charm bracelets on.

In early Roman civilizations silver charms and gold charms were used to indicate if the wearer was a Christian. Small fish shaped charms served as a way to allow people into secret meetings and gatherings. Even early Jewish scholars used hollowed out charms to store small pieces of religious text.

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance times charms were used mostly to ward off evil or to attract good luck to the wearer. Different symbols were worn for different types of protection and some where very ornate and highly intricate.

In the early 20th century the English royal family, namely Queen Victoria, again made wearing a charm bracelet a fashion forward piece of jewelry. These charms often included coats of arms and flags as well as monuments.

The first and second World Wars also contributed to the fashion trend of wearing silver and gold charms. Soldiers visiting foreign countries wanted to bring home small, easy to carry and pack items, so local jewelry makers fashioned small mementos of the landmarks and objects found within their country. Wives and girlfriends and family members then placed these charms on bracelets in larger collections, more like the charm bracelets we know.

Now modern charms come in a variety of materials. While most are metal they also have additions of cut glass, crystal, semi-precious and precious gems and even different types of beads. There is no doubt that charm bracelets and charms of different types are definitely here to stay.